Quotes

I hate to be near the sea, and to hear it roaring and raging like a wild beast in its den. It puts me in mind of the everlasting efforts of the human mind, struggling to be free, and ending just where it began. (William Hazlitt)

I have seen the sea when it is stormy and wild; when it is quiet and serene; when it is dark and moody. And in all these moods I see myself. (Martin Buxbaum)

I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets. (Hamlin Garland)

My recollection of a hundred lovely lakes has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful. (Hamlin Garland)

Near the sea we forget to count the days.

Ocean: A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man - who has no gills. (Ambrose Bierce)

There is nothing so desperately monotonous as the sea, and I no longer wonder at the cruelty of pirates. (James Russell Lowell)

I love the way a river's lullaby sings me to sleep, serenades my dreams, and gently coaxes me awake come dawn. (Stacy Kocur - used on a page titled "Water Music" with photos of rivers)

What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn't have any doubt - it is sure to get where it is going, and it doesn't want to go anywhere else. (Hal Boyle)

When I swim in the sea I talk to it. I never feel alone when I'm out there. (Gertrude Ederle - English Channel swimmer)

Where the ocean meets the sky, I'll be Sailing

Who hears the rippling of rivers will not utterly despair of anything. (Henry David Thoreau)

The Ageless Battle

(Rea Williams)

Always boiling, brawling, beating,
Against the shore and then retreating.
Like a boxer, tapping, sparring,
Then with lightening quick force, jarring
Against the punch-drunk weary shore --
Waiting, trembling, undefending --
For that bruising shock once more.
With the great strength born of ages,
Wind swept, stormy, merciless rages.
Pitting sea against the land
Pounding, grinding rocks to sand.
Man can only gaze in awe,
Wondering if 'twill be a draw --
This endless battle of sea and shore,
Since time began and forever more.

Sea Fever

(John Masefield 1878-1967)

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky.
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
is a wild call and clear a call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the sea-gulls crying,

I must go down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life
To the gull's way and whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

At the Beach

Summer brings us nice warm sun
For swimming, fishing, and lots of fun;
For finding seashells in the sand;
For sunbathing to get a tan;
To do all these things and more
At the beach and seashore.

Sand

(Helen H. Moore)

Sand in my swimsuit,
Sand in my hair,
When I go to the beach
Sand gets everywhere!
I wonder, I wonder,
Oh, how can there be
Sand left at the beach
When there's so much on me?

If I Were a Fish

If I could have a single wish
I'd dearly wish to be a fish
Swimming in the deep blue sea

But if I were a fish I think
I'd have no chocolate milk to drink
None of my favorite songs to sing
No playing on a tire swing
I couldn't hug my family
And I know they would surely miss me!

So though a fish's life sounds cool
I'll stick to swimming in the pool.

Fish

How I wish
I were a fish!
My day would begin
Flapping my fins.
I'd make a commotion
Out in the ocean.

It would be cool
To swim in a school.
In the sea,
I'd move so free,
With just one thought,
Don't get caught.

Foghorns

(Lilian Moore)

The foghorns moaned
in the bay last night
so sad
so deep
I thought I heard the city
crying in its sleep.

Page Ideas

Use scalloped scissors to trim the bottom part of a boat die-cut or a photo with boats or water. (rounded part of the scallops should be up).

Cut three different umbrella die-cuts into thirds. Use them to make three striped beach umbrellas

Trim the ear pieces off the green sunglasses die-cut and put on the upper
part of a 3 inch yellow circle - a pair of 'shades' makes the sun look 'cool'.

Make a peek-a-boo page using a portrait sleeve with no paper in it. Put little punched fishes and some seaweed die-cuts made from paper in it (adhere with the clear photo tape). On the page on either side of it (the portrait sleeve is in between a two page spread) put underwater photos of someone snorkeling and add some of the punched fish to those pages also. So if you put the see-through page over either of the pages you can see the photos and it looks like they are swimming in with lots of fish. Be careful about the placement so that none of the pictures on either page are obscured. The clear shiny of the portrait sleeve makes it really look like water. (Cindy C.)

ALSO: Use people's names and places. If the Young's were your table mates,
make that your Y page.
If you're doing an 8x10 album, you will generally use only one word or concept
per letter,
like on the "Yummy" page, including all eating photos.

Top Ten List of Silliest Questions asked on a
Cruise Ship

(Paul Grayson, Cruise Director for the Royal
Caribbean Cruise Line's Sovereign of the Seas Cruise Ship)

10.) Do these steps go up or down?
9.) What do you do with the beautiful ice carvings after they melt?
8.) Which elevator do I take to get to the front of the ship?
7.) Does the crew sleep on the ship?
6.) Is this island completely surrounded by water?
5.) Does the ship make its own electricity?
4.) Is it salt water in the toilets?
3.) What elevation are we at?
2.) There's a photographer on board who takes photos and displays them the next
day...the question asked...If the pictures aren't marked, how will I know
which ones are mine?
1.) What time is the Midnight Buffet being served?

Keeper of the Light

What makes someone sacrifice
to keep ships safe from rocks and ice
to warn of dangers in the night
What makes a Keeper of the Light

What causes one to spend his life
patrolling waters that are rife
with perils to which we are blind
What creates a man of this kind

While I sleep safely in my bed
what drives him to keep watch instead
guarding all - both rich and poor
from hazards near the darkened shore

Is he fearless, it would seem
facing facts while we all dream
and if he ever feels a doubt
his courage casts the shadows out

With no regard to his well-being
his light shines, enables seeing
ensuring safety from hidden fears
with unflagging strength through the years

What makes him do unselfish deeds
What keeps him strong, what are his needs
to always do that which is right
What makes a Keeper of the Light?

Dedicated to the men and women who
busily keep the world safe
while I idly write poetry.

The Keeper of the Light

He shines the beacons through the dark,
in solitude proclaims, "Take warning!"
for beneath these seas danger still remains.
He guides the vessels past shifting shoals,
by shallow jagged reefs
with quenchless flame throughout the night
to a harbor snug and deep.
He rings the bell, sounds the horn,
keeps vigil through the night.
Who is this humble seasoned salt?
The Keeper of the Light!

I'd Like to be a Lighthouse

(Rachel Lyman Field)

I'd like to be a lighthouse
All scrubbed and painted white.
I'd like to be a lighthouse
And stay awake all night
To keep my eye on everything
That sails my patch of sea;
I'd like to be a lighthouse
With the ships all watching me.

The Lighthouse

(Rea Williams)

Across the waves I can see the light
To guide us safely thru darkest night
Tho breakers crash wildly on the shore
The lighthouse will guide us evermore.

Tale Bearer

(Rea Williams)

Sea wind whispers to trees on the land
Telling secrets he saw written in sand.
Trees nod their heads and seem to agree
As they listen to tales from over the sea.
Trembling with mirth they clap leafy hands,
Wishing they could travel to far away lands.
Being land-locked they can only learn
For fickle sea wind's whistling return,
Knowing the while, as he leaves once more
He's carrying their secrets to a far distant shore.
They know in their hearts, that's the way of the wind
As he goes blithely along bearing tales without end.

Captain Reece

(William S. Gilbert)

Of all the ships upon the blue,
No ship contained a better crew
Than that of worthy Captain Reece,
Commanding of The Mantelpiece.

He was adored by all his men,
For worthy Captain Reece, R. N.,
Did all that lay within him to
Promote the comfort of his crew.

If ever they were dull or sad,
Their captain danced to them like mad,
Or told, to make the time pass by,
Droll legends of his infancy.

A feather bed had every man,
Warm slippers and hot-water can,
Brown Windsor from the captain's store,
A valet, too, to every four.

Did they with thirst in summer burn?
Lo, seltzogenes at every turn,
And on all very sultry days
Cream ices handed round on trays.

Then currant wine and ginger-pops
Stood handily on all the "tops";
And also, with amusement rife,
A "Zoetrope, or Wheel of Life."

New volumes came across the sea
From Mister Mundies libraree;
The Times and Saturday Review
Beguiled the leisure of the crew.

Kind-hearted Captain Reece, R. N.,
Was quite devoted to his men;
In point of fact, good Captain Reece
Beatified The Mantlepiece.

One summer eve, at half-past ten,
He said (addressing all his men):
"Come, tell me, please, what I can do
To please and gratify my crew."

"By any reasonable plan
I'll make you happy if I can;
My own convenience count as nil:
It is my duty, and I will."

Then up and answered William Lee
(The kindly captain's coxswain he,
A nervous, shy, low-spoken man),
He cleared his throat and thus began:

"You have a daughter, Captain Reece,
Ten female cousins and a niece,
A ma, if what I'm told is true,
Six sisters, and an aunt or two."

"Now, somehow, sir, it seems to me
More friendly like we all should be,
If you united of 'em to
Unmarried members of the crew."

"If you'd ameliorate our life,
Let each of us select a wife;
And as for nervous me, old pal,
Give me your own enchanting gal!"

Good Captain Reece, that worthy man,
Debated on his coxswain's plan:
"I quite agree," he said, "O Bill;
It is my duty, and I will."

"My daughter, that enchanting gurl,
Has just been promised to an Earl,
And all my other familee
To peers of various degree."

"But what are dukes and viscounts to
The happiness of all my crew?
The word I gave you I'll fulfill;
It is my duty, and I will."

"As you desire it shall befall;
I'll settle thousands on you all,
And I shall be, despite my hoard,
The only bachelor on board."

The boatswain of The Mantlepiece,
He blushed and spoke to Captain Reece:
"I beg your honor's leave," he said:
"If you would wish to go and wed,"

"I have a widowed mother who
Would be the very thing for you -
She long has loved you from afar;
She washes for you, Captain R."

The Captain saw the dame that day -
Addressed her in this playful way -
"And did it want a wedding ring?
It was a tempting ickle sing!"

"Well, well, the chaplain I will seek,
We'll all be married this day week
At yonder church upon the hill;
It is my duty and I will!"

The sisters, cousins, aunts and niece,
And widowed ma of Captain Reece,
Attended there as they were bid;
It was their duty, and they did.

Ballad of the Titanic

Oh, they built the ship Titanic
To sail the ocean blue
They thought they had a ship
That the water would never go through
But the Lord's Almighty hand
Said that ship would never land
It was sad when the great ship went down

It was sad, it was sad
It was sad when that great ship went down
(to the bottom of the...)
Husbands and wives,
Little children lost their lives
It was sad when that great ship went down.

Oh they sailed from England's shore
For a thousand miles or more
And the rich refused to associate with the poor
So they put them down below
Where they were the first to go
It was sad when that great ship went down.
(It was sad, it was sad, etc...)

The boat was full of sin and the sides about to burst
When the captain shouted "All the women and children first!"
O the captain tried to wire, but the lines were all on fire...
O it was sad when that great ship went down!
(It was sad, it was sad, etc...)

Oh, they swung the lifeboats out
Over the deep and raging sea
As the band played "Nearer My God to Thee"
Little children wept and cried
As the waves swept over the side
It was sad when that great ship went down.